An essay of the pathology of the brain and nervous stock in which convulsive diseases are treated of / being the work of Thomas Willis ... ; translated out of Latine into English, by S.P.

The Authours Epistle Dedicatory.

To the Most Reverend Father in Christ, His Grace, Gilbert, by Divine Providence, Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitan of all England, and One of His Sacred Majesties most Honourable Privy Council.

IT is so Ordained by the Laws, most Noble Prelate, that whatsoever shall happen to be built upon any ones ground, it shall be his own, by right of accession. Since therefore, to that work which I lately attempted, concerning the gifts and Nature of the Sensitive Soul, as also the Affections of the Brain, and nervous stock, and the various Diseases which belong to them, I had placed the Anatomy of the humane Head for a foundation; it was altogether necessary (this Trea∣tise being Dedicated to your Grace) that whatsoever build∣ing should be raised on that Foundation, should truly, and rightly be said to be yours: And so indeed, we continue the fault, we had sometimes Committed, and it becomes not only a step, but what is more, an obligation to the following Crime; that at length, we seem rather to perform a Duty, the name of a fault being lost, than to become Criminal.

But in the mean time, this matter in which I busie my self, may not be said to be unfit for your Knowledge, or to be dis∣agreeing to the business of the Church, over which you most happily preside; For both those Epilepticks which are to be met with here precipitating themselves into the water or the fire, and those whose members variously Contracted and di∣storted with Spasms or Convulsions, and those whose whole Bodies so bent, that they could not stand upright, by and by, as if by Inspiration of the Devill, they are agitated with Stupendious leapings, and other wonderfull gesticulati∣ons. These I say, and many other Sick men whom I here e∣very where describe, seem not much to differ from those whom we read of in the Evangelists, to be cured by our Lord Jesus Christ; and although such be to be cured however Con∣tumatious and rebellious they are, the Physitian, however Skillfull he be, ought allways to Implore the help of the Hea∣venly Power, to be assisting to him, being above all the

Strength of Medicines. Therefore and by right the Disease by the Ancients called Holy of the word Theoria, and the rest of our Pathology, as if it contained in it a certain Divinity, ex∣plicates the Disease to be cured no lesse with prayers and fast∣ings than with Medicines, and therefore should desire greatly to call upon the Authority of Holy men, and to be helped by the Power of your Sanctity.

Besides it is no new thing that there should be an Entrance into the Church thorow the Spittle, for that it appears, our Saviour to have used almost this method, who would for the most part, that the health of the Soul, should take its begin∣ning from the restored health of the Body. And truly, as the Stupid Deliriums of Melanchollicks, the Caninish madness, and others sprung from an infirm Brain, have driven some, both from the Communion of Saints, and from the Society of men, if these had been profligated by the help of our Art, it would not be dispair'd of, but that the men should not on∣ly, growing well, have left both at once their Diseases and Errors, but also should have become Wise.

It remains, that I Supplicate the Great God, that he will render to his Church, the peace he has happily given to the Common-wealth, that he may take away the darkness from the eyes of the miserable people, that he may withdraw the fury from their mindes, and for a pledge and advantage of so great a benefit, that he may long keep safe and in health, your Grace, the mighty Pillar, and Glory of the Reformed Reli∣gion, which is Cordially desired by

Your Graces most humble and Devoted Servant, T. W.